32nd Virginia Infantry Regiment

The 32nd Virginia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia.

The 32nd Virginia was formed in May, 1861, by consolidating Montague's and Goggin's Infantry Battalions. Its members were from Hampton and Williamsburg and the counties of Warwick, James City, and York. Three companies were accepted into service as artillery and were transferred to the 1st Virginia Artillery. After its reorganization in May, 1862, the unit operated with only seven companies.

The field officers were Colonels Benjamin S. Ewell and Edgar Burwell Montague; Lieutenant Colonels John B. Cary and William Royall Willis; and Majors James M. Goggin, Baker P. Lee, Jr., and Jefferson Sinclair.

Engagements At the Battle of Williamsburg two companies fought under General Pryor, then the regiment was attached to General Semmes' and Corse's Brigade. It participated in many conflicts from the Seven Days' Battles to Fredricksburg, moved with Longstreet to Suffolk, and later served in the Department of Richmond and in North Carolina. Returning to Virginia it was active at Drewry's Bluff and Cold Harbor, took its place in the Petersburg trenches north and south of the James River, they saw action on the Chickahominy (May 1864), at Cold Harbor (June), on the Petersburg Campaign (to April 1865), and ended the war at Appomattox.

The regiment reported 1 wounded at Savage's Station, had 2 killed and 4 wounded at Malvern Hill, and sustained 72 casualties of the 158 engaged at Sharpsburg. Some were captured at Sayler's Creek, and 5 officers and 42 men were included in the surrender.

+ Engagement Summary Engagement Date Division Brigade Commander Battle of Williamsburg May 5, 1862 MG James Longstreet, Second Division BG Roger A. Pryor, Fifth Brigade (detachment of two companies) Col Benjamin S. Ewell? (Ewell left 32nd regiment to join general staff of Joseph E. Johnston after this battle.) Battle of Seven Pines May 31 and June 1, 1862 BG Richard H. Anderson, Longstreet's Division BG Roger A. Pryor, Pryor's Brigade Ltc William R. Willis (while Colonel Montague was stricken with typhoid) Seven Days' Battles, Battle of Malvern Hill, Battle of Savage's Station June 25 to July 1, 1862 MG Lafayette McLaws, McLaws' Division BG Paul J. Semmes, First Brigade Ltc William R. Willis (while Colonel Montague was stricken with typhoid) Battle of Antietam September 17, 1862 MG Lafayette McLaws, McLaws' Division BG Paul J. Semmes, First Brigade Col Edgar B. Montague Battle of Fredericksburg December 11–15, 1862 MG George E. Pickett, Pickett's Division BG Montgomery Dent Corse, Corse's Brigade Col Edgar B. Montague Siege of Suffolk April 11 to May 4, 1863 MG George E. Pickett, Pickett's Division BG Montgomery Dent Corse, Corse's Brigade Col Edgar B. Montague Battle of Spotsylvania Court House May 9–21, 1864 MG George E. Pickett, Pickett's Division BG Montgomery Dent Corse, Corse's Brigade Col Edgar B. Montague Battle of Cold Harbor May 31–June 12, 1864 MG George E. Pickett, Pickett's Division BG Montgomery Dent Corse, Corse's Brigade Col Edgar B. Montague Battle of Five Forks April 1, 1865 MG George E. Pickett, Pickett's Division BG Montgomery Dent Corse, Corse's Brigade Ltc William R. Willis (Col Montague left regiment in Dec 1864 on sick leave.) Siege of Petersburg June 9, 1864 - March 25, 1865 MG George E. Pickett, Pickett's Division BG Montgomery Dent Corse, Corse's Brigade ? Appomattox Campaign, Battle of Sailor's Creek March 29 to April 9, 1865 MG George E. Pickett, Pickett's Division BG Montgomery Dent Corse (captured April 6), Col Arthur Herbert, Corse's Brigade Cpt Samuel W. Armistead

Constituent Units 32nd originally consisted of just two companies in 1859, the Wythe Rifles of Hampton and the Williamsburg Junior Guard. Colonel Benjamin S. Ewell grew the regiment into five infantry and four artillery companies. The artillery companies were eventually reassigned. On May 22, 1862, Edgar Burwell Montague was elected Colonel, Captain William Royall Willis of the Wythe Rifles (Co. A) was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and the regiment was reorganized as follows:

Wythe Rifles Company A.

Williamsburg Junior Guard Company C.

Hampton Greys Company E.

Nelson Guards Company F.

Warwick Beauregards

Company H (2nd). Volunteer unit under Capt. (Dr.) Humphrey Harwood Curtis, Jr., three lieutenants, four sergeants, four corporals, 67 privates and a drummer boy. Organized at Endview Plantation in Warwick County, Virginia. in May 1861.

York Rangers

Company I (2nd).

Below is a roll call (date unknown): Capt. - Jefferson Sinclair 1st Lieut. -Wm. J. Stores 2nd Lieut. - Robert Willis 3rd Lieut. - Henry Sinclair (Brother to Jefferson)

Privates: Amory, John Ayers, Henry Barrow, Albert (Captured in Yorktown, sent to Fort Delaware) Boutwell, Wm Banting, Joseph Bassett, W.E. Briggs, Benj. Burt, Wm. Buchanan, Elijah Bunting, Wirt Cox, G.B. Cox, Elias Cox, George Carmines, Kenneth Cain, Thomas Candy, Thomas Cratzer, Edgar Crockett, Addison Davis, Charles Dawson, Humphrey Dawson, Robert Elliott, Seaton Foster, Elijah Firth, Thomas Forrest, Robert Forsythe, Thomas Freeman, Henry Glover, Charles Goffigan, W.E. Gordon, J. Gordon, Wm. Hansford, Louis Haskins, John Robert (Musician, Drummer, of the Cumberland County Va. Haskins's) Haskins, William Creed (older brother of John Robert Haskins) Hopkins, George Hopkins, Frank Halls, Jim Halloway, Wm. (Captured at Yorktown. Sent to Fort Delaware) Howard, J.T. Herbert, Thomas Hugett, J. Hunt, Benj. Hunt, Wm. Insley, Jas. Insley, Wm. Moreland, Alphonso Moreland, Darius Moore, E.B. Moore, Wm. Moore, Merrett Mason, George Patrick, Robert Patrick, Wm. Payne, Reiley Peek, E.K. Poole, Alex Poole, Robert Presson, Robert Presson, John Quimby, Wm. Rowe, Benj. Sheilds, Arthur Treen, Wm. Traynam, W.H. Vernam, Henry Vernam, Wm. Vixon, Wm. Watson, George White, J. White, Robert White, Wise Williams, Charles Wynne, Frank Lee Wynne, Edmund Thomas Wynne, Richard Henry

Lee Guards Company K (2nd).

32nd Virginia Infantry Regiment

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